In 2009 the Diocese of Pittsburgh shuttered three of the four remaining Catholic churches in Homestead, Pennsylvania. The remaining church building, formerly St. Ann's Parish, building lacked an organ of any kind, while the three closed churches each housed pipe organs. St. Anthony's housed a 4-rank 1959 Moller, St. Michael the Archangel a 23-rank 1953 Kilgen, and St. Mary Magdalene held an amalgamation of three different organs built in 1916 by Estey and combined by Moller in 1947. None of these organs were suitable for the new home of St. Maximilian Kolbe parish, however each possessed workable resources. It was decided to use the best salvageable components of each organ to create an essentially new instrument. The console and swell shutters from St. Anthony's, the cases, swell shutters, and majority of the pipework from St. Michael's, and select color stops from St. Mary Magdalene were incorporated into the new organ. All new main wind chests and several offset wind chests were constructed, a Syndyne solid state system was installed, and new main and booster blowers were provided. The disparate pipework was successfully revoiced to create a beautiful ensemble blend with bountiful color options and great flexibility for an organ of 15 ranks. Symbolically, this organ represents the rebirth of four congregations as one united by the sound of this organ, as well as the recovery of a piece of their collective history. 

 

 

 

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